1 i f so, what shall we say about Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking— find out?

What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found?

2 F or if Abraham was justified ( established as just by acquittal from guilt) by good works he has grounds for boasting. But not before God!

For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God;

3 F or what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God).

for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

4 N ow to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him).

Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt:

5 B ut to one who, not working, trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (the standing acceptable to God).

but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

6 T hus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does:

Even as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness without works:

7 B lessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.

Blessed whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered:

8 B lessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him.

blessed man to whom Lord shall not at all reckon sin.

9 I s this blessing (happiness) then meant only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.

this blessedness then on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision? For we say that faith has been reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

10 H ow then was it credited ? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

How then has it been reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 H e received the mark of circumcision as a token or an evidence seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised— so that he was to be made the father of all who believe, though without circumcision, and who thus have righteousness (right standing with God) imputed to them and credited to their account,

And he received sign of circumcision seal of the righteousness of faith which being in uncircumcision, that he might be father of all them that believe being in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned to them also;

12 A s well as the father of those circumcised persons who are not merely circumcised, but also walk in the way of that faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

and father of circumcision, not only to those who are of circumcision, but to those also who walk in the steps of the faith, during uncircumcision, of our father Abraham.

13 F or the promise to Abraham or his posterity, that he should inherit the world, did not come through the Law but through the righteousness of faith.

For not by law that the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of world, but by righteousness of faith.

14 I f it is the adherents of the Law who are to be the heirs, then faith is made futile and empty of all meaning and the promise is made void (is annulled and has no power).

For if they which of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect.

15 F or the Law results in wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

For law works wrath; but where no law is neither transgression.

16 T herefore, the promise is the outcome of faith and depends on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Therefore on the principle of faith, that according to grace, in order to the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that only which of the law, but to that also which of Abraham's faith, who is father of us all,

17 A s it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that as if they existed.

(according as it is written, I have made thee father of many nations,) before the God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls the things which be not as being;

18 h ope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So shall your descendants be.

who against hope believed in hope to his becoming father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be:

19 H e did not weaken in faith when he considered the impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.

and not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body already become dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah's womb,

20 N o unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God,

and hesitated not at the promise of God through unbelief; but found strength in faith, giving glory to God;

21 F ully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

and being fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to do;

22 T hat is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

wherefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

23 B ut, It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone,

Now it was not written on his account alone that it was reckoned to him,

24 B ut for our sakes too. will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

but on ours also, to whom, believing on him who has raised from among dead Jesus our Lord,

25 W ho was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal),.

who has been delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification, it will be reckoned.